Jaxon Smith-Njigba keeps NFL defenders spinning with ... body language?
SAN JOSE, CA - Route running is a skill. For some it's an artform.
A good route runner is often defined by how quickly they can transition in and out of cuts, their ability to make every route look the same, whether they give tells, and their fluidity at the top of the route.
Super Bowl 60 will feature one of the best route runners in the game - Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
He has a great understanding of leverage and how to attack it. He has a great understanding of what he wants to do when he goes out there, he has a plan," Seahawks wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson told USA TODAY Sports. He has some natural ability that you can't coach."
In his third year as a pro, Smith-Njigba had the best statistical receiving regular season in Seahawks history. The wide receiver compiled an NFL-leading and franchise season record 1,793 receiving yards and also set a franchise record with 119 receptions. Numbers that earned him the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award on Feb. 5.
At 6 feet tall and 197 pounds, Smith-Njigba isn't an imposing physical specimen. His 4.48-second 40-yard dash time at Ohio State's 2023 pro day was topped by numerous less-successful receivers at the 2023 NFL Combine. So what makes Smith-Njigba different?
Being able to problem solve while you're out there. Problems come up and schemes come up that maybe you don't recognize. But being able to problem solve out there in real time is something that I feel like elite receivers do," Smith-Njigba said about his success this season.
During the NFC championship game, seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady identified a unique attribute to Smith-Njigba's routes.
"A lot of receivers, when they run if they're speeding up or stopping, their shoulder plane will rise or fall. He maintains the same shoulder plane when he runs his route," Brady said during the FOX broadcast. It's really hard for any defensive back to get a beat on what he's doing."
Outside or in the slot, Smith-Njigba thrives across the field"A lot of receivers, when they run if they're speeding up or stopping, their shoulder plane will rise or fall. He maintains the same shoulder plane when he runs his route."
- FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 26, 2026
@TomBrady breaks down what makes @jaxon_smith1's skillset so special. pic.twitter.com/vfJe7KgSS2
A basic receiver route tree consists of nine routes. There are variations to a route tree and expansions. Plus, a player can line up at different locations on the field.
Smith-Njigba began his NFL career with the Seahawks primarily as a slot wide receiver because DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett played on the outside. Since Metcalf and Lockett departed from Seattle, Smith-Njigba transitioned to more of an outside receiver.
Smith-Njigba's proven to be just as effective in both spots. He produced a league-leading 1,378 yards when aligned as an outside receiver this year after topping the NFL with 956 yards from the slot in 2024, according to Next Gen Stats. He is the only player in the Next Gen Stats era to ever lead the NFL in both categories.
I always felt like I could line up anywhere and get the job done," Smith-Njigba said. Just being able to get open ...Understanding what my quarterback needs. The timing and making sure I'm giving good body language, so he knows when to throw the ball."
Jackson, who's coached wide receivers such as DJ Moore, George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Metcalf and now Cooper Kupp throughout his coaching career, labels Smith-Njigba the best route runner he's ever coached.
He's one of the few guys that I've been around that he makes every single route look like it's the same route. He doesn't give any tells," Jackson said. Some guys, they start to lean early or they start to raise up. He just has that forward body lean. It's helped him so far. He's able to run every route, and people haven't been able to get a clue on what he's about to do."
On Sunday, the New England Patriots will boast their own dynamic wide receiver. Like Smith-Njigba, Stefon Diggs was among the 1,000-yard receiver club this season. Drake Maye and Diggs produced the highest completion percentage (83.3%) among quarterback and wide receiver duos in 2025, according to Next Gen Stats.
At 24, Smith-Njigba knocking on 2,000-yard club's doorSmith-Njigba, who turns 24 on Feb. 14, has the most receiving yards in a season (1,965) by a player under the age of 24 in NFL history, including the playoffs. With a good Super Bowl 60 performance, he can become the third player ever with at least 2,000 receiving yards in a season. Ironically, he would join his teammate, Kupp, who achieved the feat with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 and current Rams wideout Puka Nacua, who hit the mark this season.
132 catches. 1,965 yards. 12 TD.
- NFL (@NFL) January 29, 2026
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has put on a show this season en route to SBLX pic.twitter.com/Kn1teOcxR8
Kupp, a standout route runner throughout his career, used an analogy to describe Smith-Njigba's ability to create separation.
(Smith-Njigba) done a great job. It's something I've never seen before. Seems to break the laws of physics. But he just plays the same level the entire time, even when he's making breaks. It's like a Porsche turning around a corner, just stays the same way. He's here one second, he's over there the next. So, it's pretty, pretty cool to watch."
Pretty cool to watch for Kupp and the Seahawks, and simultaneously, troublesome for opposing defensive backs.
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X@TheTylerDragon.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Elite route running sets Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba apart